Five tigers, a mother and her cubs, were found dead in the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district on Thursday, June 26, leaving conservationists deeply shaken.
Officials suspect poisoning as the cause. The tiger carcasses were discovered in the Gajanur beat of the Meenyam Section within the Hoogyam range. Nearby, a dead cow was also found, which supports the theory that the animals may have consumed poison. It’s believed the deaths occurred on Wednesday, June 25, but were only discovered the following day.
The mother tiger was around 11 years old and had first been captured on camera back in November 2014 as a young cub, about 6 to 8 months old. There is speculation that the tiger had hunted a cow and dragged it into the forest. After eating part of the carcass, the tiger and her cubs may have returned later, only to fall victim to poison left by unknown culprits.
Eshwar B. Khandre, Karnataka’s Minister for Forests, Ecology, and Environment, has called for a detailed report and vowed that those responsible will be brought to justice. A special high-level inquiry committee has been formed, including top forest officials, a veterinary expert from Mysuru zoo, and independent wildlife specialist Sanjay Gubbi.
The committee has been given 14 days to submit their findings. They have conducted necropsies following National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols, and tissue, blood, and stomach samples are now being analyzed for toxicology, DNA, and other tests.
The Minister expressed serious concern over the incident, pointing out that Karnataka, which currently has the second highest tiger population in India at 563, had implemented strict conservation measures. The sudden loss of five tigers in one day is a major blow.
A team of senior officials is on site investigating. If poisoning or electrocution is confirmed, criminal charges will be filed against the perpetrators. Following the incident, authorities have increased surveillance with infrared cameras and GPS-enabled patrolling. Anti-poaching camps are on high alert, conducting thorough searches for traps, poison baits, and snares. Additionally, a confidential informer network offering rewards for useful intelligence is active.
There had been plans to upgrade the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary to a full tiger reserve, but the move was postponed due to the upcoming Assembly elections and has not been restarted since. The sanctuary spans 906 square kilometers and is home to a rich variety of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, elephants, and many prey species.
